This World Will Remember Us
by writingwithgrace
Summary: "You've read the story of Jesse James, of how that man was slain. If you're still in need; of something to read, here's the story of Ban and Elaine." If only that wannabe actress didn't meet that handsome bandit. (Ban and Elaine "Bonnie and Clyde" AU)
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1.**

The bell on the diner door seemed to never stop chiming, and during a time where no one seemed to have money, people could always afford a cup of coffee and a donut. No one questioned it really, it seemed in times of depression and economic crisis, money always seemed to appear when a woman needed her hair done or a man needed a visit from a lady of the night.

Living in West Dallas during the depression just made what was already a sad time even worse. No one who lived in West Dallas planned on staying there for long. They all had plans, dreams, things they wanted to see and places they wanted to go. Yet, those plans seemed to be forgotten and the dreams never get fulfilled. Anyone who happened to come into the little haven in Texas for rest never woke up again, simply walking around each day like zombies; dead with the light and hope drained completely from their eyes.

Sometimes you'd see people with a little bit of hope left, a dream they still clung to for dear life, not wanting to let go and become another ghost that haunted West Dallas.

Yet, in the Great Depression, no light lasted for very long.

" Mornin' Elaine, I'll have my usual," the older man coughed, already tossing a few dollars on the counter at the short blonde girl. Elaine flashed a kind and gentle smile toward the older man, nodding at his request, making her way toward the coffee machine to brew a cup for the old regular. The smile that little Elaine wore was enough to fool anyone that she was content with her job as a waitress. Many would say she was lucky even, making a satisfactory paycheck, for a woman no less, in a time where many couldn't even make a nickel if their lives depended on it. If anyone saw the short young waitress through the window of the diner, a soft look upon her face, washing up the countertops without a care in the world, they would assume she was exactly where she wanted to be.

"Here you are Cain, enjoy," Elaine placed the mug of dark coffee on a saucer and placing it in front of the older gentleman, offering him another sweet smile.

Anyone who walked past the "Boar Hat" would assume that the petite little waitress was at the peak of greatness, craving nothing more from the world.

But those who assumed that were simply wrong.

The moment Elaine turned her back, facing her fellow coworkers and away from the customers, a tired frown replaced the forced happy smile that she wore more often than not. She was one of the few who held on to her dreams, because she knew deep in her heart that she was meant for more than washing dishes and serving coffee.

She was meant for much more than that.

She rubbed her temples a bit, releasing stress from her forehead as she pushed her way into the kitchen, finding a few of her coworkers huddled in a circle each taking several puffs from their cigarettes. The Texan heat coated the room, causing sweat to trickle from each of the waitresses faces, not that it bothered them, considering none would move away from one another or stop wrapping their lips around their precious cigarettes. Rather than join the vapid girls and their foolish gossip, Elaine made her way towards her closer companion, Elizabeth, who was aggressively scrubbing dishes, her eyes staring up at the ceiling lost in thought.

"You've been scrubbing that dish since I came back here to grab a short stack, what's got you so lost in thought?" Elaine nudged her friend playfully, causing her to return back to reality and drop the dish back into the sudsy water.

"Oh, it was just a stubborn stain is all," Elizabeth attempted to lie, drying her hands on a towel that hung close to the sink. Elaine cocked an eyebrow at the obvious falsehood, pressuring her friend to really divulge what was going on. "I suppose I'm just wondering if all I'm ever going to be is a simple girl who washes dishes."

"Elizabeth, please, I promise you soon we are going to both get out of here, you won't be scrubbing at stubborn stains for much longer," Elaine's voice was filled with so much hope, she was almost able to convince herself that what she was saying was true.

Elizabeth was more than a friend to her, she was practically family. She had her sob story just like many other girls who ended up in West Dallas; married off to a man who she didn't love for money, and when the depression hit, the man took off with all they had without an ounce of regret. Elizabeth was left in the middle of nowhere without a penny to her name or a place or person to call her own. She was ashamed beyond belief of this fact, that not only was she penniless, but that her husband had abandoned her. She had family willing to take her in, but she refused their help, her own pride getting the better of her, too sheepish to tell her family what had truly happened to her.

Luckily she was able to find a fast friend in Elaine, who she often referred to as a woman with a heart bigger than all of West Dallas.

Elaine was not much better off than Elizabeth, but she had money to her name and a roof over her head. She lived with her brother, who was a police officer for the town. The two siblings lived in a small house, one sibling content with their place, the other only dreaming of a way to escape. Her brother was a tad protective of her, not even wanting her to get a job, knowing that West Dallas wasn't a place for a fragile and petite little girl to work. It took her months of begging for him to even allow her to work at the diner; and he only caved because the depression hit them like a bag of bricks. He disapproved of many of Elaine's hobbies and dreams, like her bad habit of smoking and her passion for the arts. At every chance he could, Harlequin would set her up on a date with one of his fellow officers, trying desperately to get her hitched so she wouldn't be a single young flower in a town of hungry wolves.

He was old fashioned. He didn't see much beyond West Dallas and was perfectly happy living his life and collecting dust.

Elaine met Elizabeth while the latter was crying on the steps of the diner. With a heart overflowing with compassion, Elaine immediately wanted to help the poor girl, especially before any of the perverted men found her in that state. After hearing the lonely girl's story, Elaine immediately brought her to her feet and decided right then and there that the two of them would stick together. Elizabeth moved into Elaine and Harlequin's home, sleeping mostly on the couch, but occasionally switching with Elaine and sleeping on her bed for a few nights. Elaine was also able to convince her boss to hire Elizabeth at the diner, even if it was mostly cleaning up.

The two became inseparable friends, and though it had only been about a year, Elaine considered her more like a sister.

Whenever Elaine wanted to talk about being an actress, or wanted to practice a song in case she was ever to audition for a musical, Elizabeth would be the one she turned to. She would listen without judgement, without scolding, without laughing as if she was just a foolish girl with dreams bigger than she could ever achieve. Elaine would be the shoulder Elizabeth cried on, the words of encouragement when she needed them, and always made her smile. Elaine was often times considered the kindest girl in all of West Dallas, but she wanted to do and be so much more than just the nice girl. Elizabeth wasn't sure what she wanted to do, she wasn't as determined or as passionate about anything like Elaine was. She was just a girl who was trying to find a place where she belonged in the world.

Elizabeth craved acceptance, craved to have someone who would love her and not abandon her after things got rough. Despite having her heartbroken, she still dreamed of a man to take her away from the Boar Hat, away from the bad memories, away from everything that reminded her that she was stuck, with nobody and nowhere to go. She wanted love, something true, something real.

Elaine on the other hand didn't much care if love ever came her way. Despite her brother's constant nagging, she wasn't searching for love. She simply wished to follow her dreams, see her face on the big screen, be a name that everyone knew, have the face that everyone craved, be the girl everyone wanted to be.

"I know, I suppose washing dishes just gets to your head at times," Elizabeth breathed quietly, her words hardly above a whisper. Elaine pulled a cigarette from her apron pocket, quickly grabbing a lighter off the windowsill, allowing the flame to touch the tip. She sighed deeply, seeing the sadness that was hidden deep within her friend's hopeful eyes as she placed the cigarette between her lips.

"Look on the bright side Ellie, Harlequin said that he'd make us dinner tonight, the least he could do after the lousy date he set me up on" Elaine tried her best to brighten the mood, attempting to get her friend's mind back into a happy state. Elizabeth couldn't help but snicker as her friend rubbed her temple with her free hand, the other fiddling with the cigarette, smoke puffing towards the ceiling, hanging in the sky, giving the already smoky kitchen even more of a haze.

"You didn't give me the details, how bad was it this time, all I know is that when you came home, you slammed your door and wouldn't open up for hours." Elizabeth managed to say through her light laughter. Elaine gave a playful yet pointed glare towards Elizabeth before releasing a deep sigh, taking the cigarette from her mouth, holding it between her two fingers before beginning her tale.

"I was foolish enough to think that Harlequin had run out of officers to set me up with, but I was mistaken. A young man named Howzer just moved to town, living with Gilthunder and Griamore, two other officers on the force, and the moment he stepped into the station, Harlequin asked him to go on a date with me," Elaine tried her hardest to keep her composure, the memory was already enough to make her boil, "It was beyond awkward, on his first day in West Dallas my brother thought it was a genius idea to set us up. And since my brother has a high position in the station, Howzer couldn't refuse. So we spent an awkward evening in a tavern, him not sure what to say, and me too busy fuming at my brother on both of our behalf."

Elizabeth couldn't stop herself from letting a few pitiful laughs to fall from her lips, while Elaine took a long puff of her cigarette.

"Hopefully, no more new single young men will join the police force," she managed to say through her laughter, a sense of helpfulness deep within her voice for Elaine.

"I doubt it, new officers join the force everyday with all of the crime around here, West Dallas is becoming more and more like hell each passing day."

"Well, I suppose we are a bit lucky to be living with a police officer then," Elizabeth reasoned, only a moment before an egg timer ticked it's last second letting out a loud beeping. Elizabeth quickly made her way through the room of gossiping waitresses and opened the oven, pulling out a freshly baked cherry pie.

"Some would call it lucky, I would call it a glorified prison sentence," Elaine mumbled, throwing her cigarette into the ashtray, already filled to the brim, and forced another false smile on to her face before grabbing the pie from Elizabeth, and pushing her way through the kitchen doors back into the crowded diner.

The day seemed to egg on, order after order, cleaning coffee cups by the dozen and going through a pack of cigarettes without a care. Elizabeth was only allowed to work at the diner part time, the boss refusing to pay her full time. Harlequin picked her up, only to leave Elaine with one less person to talk to and a useless lecture about she should be working half time like Elizabeth.

Whether or not it was because the boss trusted Elaine more than the other employees, or because of her desperate pleading to work as late as possible so she wouldn't have to return home to her overbearing brother, Elaine was usually the one who locked up shop. Although her brother protested highly against her being out so late with no one around to protect her from the criminals at night, she put her foot down, convincing him she got a few extra cents for closing shop, and they needed as much help as they could get financially. Everyone could.

She twisted her pair of keys into the door, locking up the diner nice and tight. She tightened her grip around her purse, letting her hair fall from the high ponytail she had put it in to sweep across her shoulders. She let out an exhausted sigh, heading back around the diner to where her car was parked. Harlequin and her shared a car, as they could only afford one. He would usually let Elaine take the car, and he would get a ride from one of his fellow officers, picking up Elizabeth similarly. Although Harlequin initially objected, finding it dangerous for a tiny person like her to be driving, he much preferred her driving than walking home, or even worse, finding a ride. Elaine preferred to sit in the passenger seat, always getting nervous when she was behind the wheel, most likely due to her car being a cheap model that was only moments away from falling apart.

With the sounds of howling Texan winds, not providing any cooling from the hot weather, only sending dust into the air, stinging at her eyes, she made her way into the driver's seat, slugging her bag into the seat beside her. She shoved her keys into the ignition, turning them to start the car. It took her a few tries, every time ending in the sound of the engine failing out, but eventually the car began to hum. She let her head rest on the wheel for a moment before shifting her car into gear and getting on to the road.

Harlequin and Elaine lived a few miles out of town, a tiny house that didn't cost much to keep standing. Elaine dreamed of an apartment in New York City, but while she remained in West Dallas, the little house occupied by her, her brother, and her friend would be just fine. Her fingertips danced on the wheel, driving down the never ending road, the moon illuminating her way. There weren't many other cars occupying the road, her and her brother being a family lucky enough to afford a car while many others didn't have the same luxury.

"Damnit, damnit, damnit!" Elaine's car began to slow as noises popped and hummed from the engine. Her automobile only just made it over the covered bridge before it stopped completely, the hood of the car popping open and steam pouring out. Her car was fried and she was a few miles from home.

She drove her tiny fists hard into the wheel, sweat dripping from her forehead as the heat that hung in the air clung to her form. She pushed the car door open heading into the night, bringing herself to the front of her car to check the damage, and see if there was anything she could do to make the hunk of junk work again. The smell of burning emanated off of the car, smoke falling through every crack on the hood. Elaine let out a long, angry scream, knowing that in the middle of nowhere no one would hear her pent up frustration.

"Any reason a pretty little fairy like you is out a this time of night in the middle of the road screaming?" A husky voice asked, creeping up behind her making the hairs on the back of her neck stand up straight. Elaine quickly whipped around, her fist tight as it drove into the torso of whoever had managed to sneak up behind her. Her eyes met with the stranger, her fingers pulsing a bit from hitting such a hard stomach. Judging by the man's smirk, her tiny fists of fury had done nothing to harm him, but he did put space between them. Her eyes adjusted to the darkness, taking in the appearance of the man. He towered over her in height, her head only reaching to just above his rib cage. His skin was pale, his eyes a glowing crimson. His hair was silver, pointed and fine, the moonlight dancing through each strand, his silhouette as intimidating as can be.

Elaine was speechless for a moment. She was scared out of her mind, impulsively biting her lip from letting another scream escape her. Her brother had warned her about crooks and car thieves, and although she didn't believe every man she came across was a horrible villain, but the man in front of her didn't have a soft and sweet energy about him.

"Your car looks pretty busted up there, you need a hand?" The man cautiously stepped forward, only for Elaine to take a step back. He gazed a her, his eyes hanging on to her own, with such intensity that she couldn't bare to turn away.

"I don't usually accept car help from strangers," Elaine managed to spit out, trying her best to keep her voice from shaking, attempting to replace her fear with confidence that would fool the stranger before her. He widened his smirk, his eyes gleaming with amusement, clearly not fooled by the little girl's attempt at courage.

"I'm Ban, there, now I'm no longer a stranger."

* * *

 ** _Author's Note:_**

 _Well hi. Thank you for reading the first chapter of my first published fanfic. Please leave reviews and comments letting me know what you think! I don't know how often I'm going to post or update, but I will try to make sure that it is ongoing! Until the next chapter!_

 _XOXO Writingwithgrace_


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2.**

Elaine couldn't help but scoff at the man's response. Her eyes broke away from his for only a moment to turn away in hopes of regaining what was left of her composure. When she turned back, the man was scratching the back of his neck, his eyes never leaving her.

"Well, _Ban_ , I don't normally trust random men who show up on the street without a car in filthy clothes and then offer to fix _my_ car in the middle of the night," Elaine replied to the man's introduction, mustering up as much sass as she could, taking in what he was wearing. He was wearing a plain white shirt and dark rugged pants, both dusted with dirt and mud, his feet bare.

At her comment, the man who self proclaimed himself as Ban, let out a howling laugh, smiling widely. He was clearly amused by how tough Elaine tried to make herself.

"C'mon kid, let me help you with your car, I'm not gonna hurt you," Ban insisted, a sense of sincerity in his voice, "If I wanted to mug you and steal your car, I would've done it already."

Elaine took a step back, her eyes narrowing a bit at the audacity of the man she had just met. She thought about his words for a moment, her heart beating quickly. What he had said made sense, for if he wanted to do her any harm, he had the time and willpower to do it already. Her brother had warned her time and time again of strangers, especially male strangers, who approached her on the street. Yet, the smile on this man, the sincerity and eagerness to help her in his eyes, made her want to believe every word he said. But she had to proceed with caution. Besides his name, she knew nothing about the man.

"First of all, I'm not a kid," Elaine remarked bluntly, a blush scattering across her cheeks, a bit embarrassed at her own size, "And secondly, fine, you can help, but don't try anything funny." Ban displayed his pointed teeth, creating a wide grin.

"I apologize miss," He bowed cockily, mocking the little blushing mess, his eyes not even meeting the ground, remaining on Elaine as he did every action, "I however will need a little favor in return for fixing your car."

"There's always a catch, isn't there?" Elaine rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest, deepening her glare.

"I don't need you to be my getaway from a crime scene," he chuckled, his eyes only leaving Elaine's for a moment to look across the bridge from where he came from, "I just need a ride to the cemetery."

The request took Elaine highly off guard. She supposed it wasn't a horrible request, but something about this man, Ban, made her feel like there was more to it than just going to mourn a lost soul. She bit her lip, pondering over her decision. Harlequin was no doubt already angry at her for not returning home, what was another hour?

"Fine, if you can find some way to fix my car with the limited parts I have in the trunk, I will not only be thoroughly impressed, I will give you a ride to the cemetery."

"Don't doubt my resourcefulness miss, I know my way around a car." Ban sent Elaine a challenging yet playful look before making his way towards the hood of the car. With one swift pull he was able to spring the metal up to look at the fried engine. "I don't believe I caught your name little fairy."

"You didn't catch it because I didn't throw it, I'm old enough to know not to give my name out to strangers."

"We aren't strangers though remember, I'm Ban and I'm a nice man fixing your car, can't I at least know the name of the fairy princess I have come to rescue."

Elaine cringed at the nickname he had given her as he circled back to the trunk of her car, pulling out some tools she had on hand. The car was old and needed repairs every so often, warranting a few small tools to be place in the trunk. Elaine never liked cars, she always had the worst luck when it came to them, from running out of gas to flat tires. Harlequin was surprisingly talented at fixing cars, likely because their car seemed to have an infinite amount of problems to fix, so he usually dealt with the car so Elaine wouldn't have to. If Ban had not shown up to help her, she would likely have had to walk home and get her car with the help of a likely very angry Harlequin.

"If it will get you to stop calling me fairy, maybe I'll consider it." Elaine rolled her eyes, swiftly pulling open the car door, reaching across the driver's seat to grab her purse. She rummaged through it, searching for her cigarettes and lighter. Out of the corner of her eye, Elaine noticed Ban intensely and curiously watching her, as if she were the most interesting thing in the world. She found the box and the tiny red lighter, pulling them both out, slamming the car door as she pulled a single cigarette out and lit it in one swift motion. "You want one?"

"I'm never one to pass on a smoke from a pretty little fairy," Ban paused his work to lean against the car next to Elaine, accepting the cigarette she offered, placing it between his lips and leaning down for her to light it. She glared at him as the word fairy rolled off his tongue, but lit the cigarette anyway, wanting his face as far away from hers as quickly as possible. His eyes were glowing with unbelievable intensity, and they seemed to never leave her own. It was frightening. "I'm sorry miss, but whether or not I know your name doesn't make you any less of a beautiful fairy princess."

The words slipped through the cracks of his grin with such ease that Elaine nearly swallowed her cigarette. He was so casual yet so sincere with the compliment, that she didn't know whether to be flattered or angry, to believe him or just assume that it was meaningless sweet-talk. He let out a howl of laughter at her reaction, a smile never once leaving his face.

"What the hell, go fix the car, and stop calling me fairy princess, or miss, or darling, or kid, or any other nickname you've decided fits me!" She fumed, her voice steady but her face heating up and turning red.

"Perhaps if you told me your name I wouldn't have to use my imagination." He winked at her, taking a drag from his cigarette and returning to the back of the car, grabbing a tool and began tinkering.

"What brings a shoeless man like you out in the middle of nowhere?" Elaine asked, angling her face towards the sky, looking at the stars, attempting to find any constellations she recognized.

"I assure you I'm not always shoeless," Ban laughed a bit, sounds of metal hitting together coming from the hood of the car, "let's just say I was in a bit of a rush and shoes were the last thing on my mind." Elaine scoffed at his answer to her question, but couldn't force away the slight smile that wrapped around her cigarette. "Why was a pretty little maiden like yourself driving alone so late at night?"

"I work the closing shift, I was simply heading home." Since Ban was vague with his answer, Elaine found it only fair that she be vague with hers. She thought out her answer carefully, trying to not give out too much information that would come back to bite her later.

"Alone? Didn't your parents ever warn you that night is when the crooks and rapists come out to play?" Again, Elaine was a bit taken aback by the bluntness of the man who she allowed to fix her car. She gave Ban a pointed look and he only replied with a wink and a playful smirk.

"Of course," Elaine replied just as bluntly, "my brother warns me on a daily basis." She mumbled the last part, only for herself to hear. The less this stranger knew about her, the less likely it was for them to ever come in contact with each other again.

"You're a pretty little thing pumpkin, I would be sure to be careful around here, especially late at night," His words, she assumed, were a warning, but the way they slipped off his tongue and hung in the air, she couldn't help but step away, the area now coated think with tension.

"Surely you aren't trying to warn me to be careful against someone in particular," Elaine replied, her voice quiet, but loud enough that Ban would hear.

"Perhaps I am," his voice took a tone that she wasn't expecting, sultry, low, and broken, "It would just be a shame to see a fairy like you get hurt."

Before Elaine could ask him why he was being so vague or why he thought she was going to get hurt, she heard the engine let out a loud start. Ban slammed the hood of the car down, bringing his body to the front seat, turning the keys that Elaine had left in the ignition, the car starting after only one try. Ban laughed wildly as Elaine's eyes lit up, her mouth falling open in pure astonishment. To had only been a half an hour or so, and Ban the stranger had managed to fix up her dinky old car.

"Voila madame, your car as good as new," He smiled, hitting the top of the car, gesturing to the front seat, as if ushering her to get behind the wheel, "Shall we head to the cemetery?"

Elaine only hesitated for a moment. She could've gotten in the car and driven away, not even giving the strange man another look, returning home, and likely never seeing him again. She could've simply let the man called Ban fade from her memory. Yet she was pulled to him, gravitated toward him like a moth to a flame. She couldn't explain it. Every nerve in her body was on high alert, some screaming at her to run away while she had the chance, others whispering to bring herself closer. Years and years of collecting dust were suddenly blown away in a moment by a shoeless stranger and his abilities to fix a car.

"We shall," she smiled gently, ducking under his arm with ease and getting into the driver's seat, her delicate fingertips resting across the wheel as Ban made his way around the car to the passenger side. He pulled the door open, settling into his seat, his head leaning back against the headrest.

"You know where you're going dontcha?" His voice had lost every tone but playfulness, his smile wide as his eyes danced across Elaine's feature.

"Of course I do, I wouldn't have offered you a ride if I didn't know where it was."

"Well judging by where you ended up, don't blame me for being apprehensive of your driving skills," Ban nudged her shoulder, only for her to immediately step on the gas and send Ban's relaxed head into the top of the car. She let loose a tiny giggle, adjusting her feet properly and beginning to drive at a standard pace as Ban rubbed his head, a laugh falling from his lips as well. "You're quite the firecracker."

"I'll take that as a compliment, I don't like to yell or make a fuss," Elaine explained, turning her car around to go back across the covered bridge, driving in the opposite direction of her house in order to bring her new acquaintance to the cemetery, "but I don't deal with disrespect lightly."

"I'd say anyone who befriends you could consider themself a lucky son of a bitch," Ban smiled, winking at Elaine the moment she turned to face him for only a brief moment. She could feel the heat rising up her neck and on to her face, but quickly glued her eyes to the dirt road before her. His smile was contagious, like a disease that Elaine was terrified to catch. Something about this man shook her up, he was blunt yet smooth, and even after years of living in West Dallas, she had never met a person quite like him.

"Why do you need to go to the cemetery anyway?" Elaine asked, turning off the main road and driving on to a side road, only to make another turn in the next few feet. The cemetery wasn't a place many people liked to go. It reminded them of sorrow, of broken dreams, of the people they loved wanting so desperately to escape West Dallas only to be buried there. Elaine hardly ever went, ghosts of the past finding their way into her every thought whenever she stepped foot inside. It was far out of town, likely to never be found by an outsider; in fact, it wouldn't surprise Elaine if people passing through simply assumed the dead turned immediately to dust, joining the rest of it on the hot Texan ground.

Ban didn't answer right away, the car being draped in silence for what seemed like an eternity. When she every so often turned to face him, only to ultimately face back on the road, she noticed him deep in thought, his eyes staring straight ahead, watching as the road appeared in front of them. Elaine let out a somewhat shaky breath, afraid she may have went to far, struck a nerve, brought up something he wasn't necessarily ready to tell a stranger.

"To visit some friends." His response was quick and precise, nothing able to be found in his tone nor in his eyes.

"I'm," Elaine hesitated, not wanting to sound condescending or if she was pitying him, knowing that men's egos were very delicate things, "I'm sorry for asking." That was all she managed to say, everything else got caught in her throat like bile, her shoving it down carefully, her eyes now straight ahead, not even glancing his way, afraid of what would happen.

She made yet another turn, her tires making unpleasant noises as they ran over rocks spread thick across the road, brought in from the harsh winds. As her headlights shone brightly in front of them, the rusted black fence of the cemetery appeared. The fences were low to the ground, not even able to keep the smallest critters from burrowing or hopping in. Anyone could tell that the fence was originally painted black, but most of the color was chipped away leaving a rusted gray metal beneath. Tombstones of all different shapes and sizes were seen as the car began to slow as they approached the main entrance of the cemetery. Like the fences it was black, chipping at almost every corner, rising high into the sky, arched and allowing anyone to enter.

Elaine could already feel the dread take over her, but she pushed it aside and faced Ban, only to have their eyes lock. Neither of them wanted to pull away, both sets of eyes fighting for dominance over the other, the silent car now filled to the brim with an unshakable tension.

"We're here."

"I can see that, just was admiring the little fairy's golden eyes," Ban smiled widely, as if to make it evident to Elaine that he harbored no ill will towards her after the comment. Elaine was the first to look away, scoffing at his comment, as if on instinct.

"Thank you for fixing my car," Elaine smiled, although she wasn't looking at him, disregarding the compliment and the nickname, "I don't know what I would've done if you hadn't shown up."

"It was my pleasure, it's not everyday I get to find a pretty young maiden in need of assistance."

"I-I'm sorry about your friends." Elaine felt that she had to say something, even if it dug her deeper into a hole she had just managed to get out of. She knew what it was like to lose people, and even dropping off a stranger at a cemetery to visit those who passed on caused her heart to ache.

"Don't be, I see them all the time, we meet here," He said, a playfulness to his tone, only causing Elaine's heart to clench more. He seemed to happy to be there, so happy to visit his friends. He was the happiest person she had ever seen in a cemetery.

"Well, it's nice to see someone who thinks like you do, West Dallas doesn't seem to have many people like that."

"Thank you darling," His voice seemed sincere despite Elaine cringing once again at the silly nickname, "I suppose this is where we part ways."

"I suppose it is." She couldn't understand why, but something else tugged at her heartstrings, and it wasn't sympathy for the man before her. Perhaps disappointment that their meeting was ending so soon, at a cemetery no less.

"I appreciate the ride, I would have never gotten here without your kindness, so for that I thank you," Ban bowed his head, his leaned over torso finally putting them at about the same height.

"Don't mention it."

"Until we meet again little fairy," He pushed himself out of the car, closing the door gently behind him, walking slowly into the cemetery. Elaine's adrenaline was going off like crazy, every nerve in her body screaming at her to drive away. She would finally be free of the strange encounter, but she was glued in place. On a whim, just as he was about to vanish into the darkness that coated everywhere but her headlights, she jumped out of the driver's seat, running forward into the middle of the beam of light.

"Elaine."

Ban whipped around, his eyes meeting hers after she yelled after him, a gentle smile on her face, causing Ban to match it.

"What?"

"My name, it's Elaine."

"Elaine, a beautiful name for a beautiful fairy."


	3. Chapter 3

Elaine couldn't stop her heart from beating loudly, with so much pressure it felt as if it would simply leave her chest. Her hands were tightly wrapped around the steering wheel of her newly fixed vehicle, her fingertips beginning to feel numb. Her eyes were glued to the road in front of her, but her mind couldn't help but wander back to the stranger who she had just left behind in the cemetery. She couldn't shake the feelings that coursed through her, confusing her beyond belief.

What were the chances that she would ever see him again? She knew that it was just a simple fleeting moment of excitement in her boring, dust filled life. Yet, she couldn't escape her mind forcefully memorizing every detail of the stranger, from his spiked silver locks, to his glowing red eyes that pierced straight into her soul.

Perhaps her mind was simply trying to focus on anything but her brother's inevitable furious face when she returned home, and was attempting to keep her busy with thoughts of a meaningless encounter. Yet, her mind had little choice to avoid the inevitable as she drove up towards her little house, already seeing her brother waiting impatiently on the porch, his eyes immediately meeting hers as the car came to a delicate stop in the driveway. Before she could even shut the car door and step away from the car, her brother was furiously stomping towards her, slamming the door of the car for her, his face and emotions completely raw.

"Listen, I know you're-"

"Elaine, I can't believe you! Do you know how late you are? You should have been home two hours ago, Elizabeth and I were worried sick, a little girl like you all alone in a town full of criminals and low life's just waiting to take advantage of you!" Elaine should've been used to these rants, but the worry on her brother's face, the concern in his tone, the disappointment in every word that spilled from his lips, it caused her to cringe, the guilt that she didn't like feeling stinging the back of her throat.

"Harlequin please-"

"You know how much I worry about you, and you are just so frivolous! For once, can you think of anyone but yourself?" Every word that fell from his mouth twisted another knot in Elaine's stomach, not sure if they were knots of guilt or anger. Harlequin paced back and forth, his rage foaming at his mouth and falling from his lips without a filter. Elaine knew Harlequin was protective of her because she was the last living member of their family. Their parents had died not long after Elaine was born, so for as long as the two of them could remember, it was just them against the world. She was grateful for his protectiveness to an extent, but her independent and stubborn side grew tired of the constant lectures.

Part of her wanted to tell her brother the whole truth as to why she was so late, divulge in the chance encounter she had with a mysterious and alluring stranger. Yet, she knew it would only end in an even longer lecture and perhaps worse consequences if she were to breathe a word of accepting help from a strange man, so she remained silent, taking each blow of her brother's sharp words.

"Harlequin," Elaine began softly, spotting an opening to apologize and explain herself through her brother's ranting, "the car was having trouble, so I had to take some time to try and fix it, you know how lousy I am with cars." She had trained herself to be an excellent actress, easily being able to fabricate a story enough for even a seasoned police officer to believe.

Harlequin's eyes softened, still a bit of frustration hidden behind them. His golden eyes that were so familiar stared deep into her soul, as if searching for the truth behind her words.

There was something he wanted to say, his eyes said it all.

Perhaps it was the close sibling bond the two of them shared, but they were able to read each other very well. Their eyes were windows deep into their soul, and the two of them were always able to see the inner turmoil that bubbles beneath the surface. Although the both of them found ways to hide their struggles, they could read each other like open books; books that they had read over and over again, enough to know every word by heart.

Without another word, Harlequin simply nodded, turning his back on her and walking swiftly into the house, the door slamming behind him, causing Elaine to flinch. She knew that the both of them were hiding something, something that they wanted to tell each other so desperately. Yet, it seemed that whatever they were hiding wasn't worth the judgment of the only family they had left. She let out a shaky sigh, walking slowly up the porch steps and into the house, closing the door quietly behind her, hoping that her nor her brother kept Elizabeth up.

But there she was, sitting on the couch in a pale pink silky nightgown, sipping from a cracked mug which contained what Elaine could only imagine was tea. She looked serene, staring at the portrait that hung above the empty fireplace. Her face was red, a subtle shaking in her hands.

"You're home late," Her words were steady, but there was an unshakable fear caught in her throat, "I was worried." Elaine rushed over, her heart clenching at Elizabeth's worry. Elaine was usually a punctual person, being home at the same time each night she worked at the diner. She was a woman on a continuous loop of waking up, going to work, and heading home when the work was done. She knew that her stepping out of her loop and coming home hours late would likely confuse and worry her friend and brother. Yet she couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to their worry than just a break of habit.

"Oh Elizabeth, I'm so sorry, I had car trouble." Elaine bit her lip as she sat beside her friend, wrapping her arms around her in an attempt to comfort her. Elizabeth let a few stray tears fall from her eyes, quickly wiping them up in a swift movement as if to try and hide the fact that they were even there.

Elaine was torn, her eyes surveying her surroundings, wanting desperately to tell Elizabeth of the pure moment of adrenaline she felt with the mysterious stranger she had encountered. She wanted to tell her of her excitement and confusion of the mysterious meeting, and the strange desire she had to see him again. But she knew something was wrong; something both her best friend and her brother were hiding from her.

"I wish you two wouldn't worry so much, my car just broke down and I had to fix it, I'm sure you both knew I would be home eventually, I'm not that reckless."

Elizabeth placed her teacup on the end table, turning around to face Elaine completely, shedding Elaine's arms off from around her.

"I know he doesn't want me to tell you this," Elizabeth began to whisper, grabbing hold of Elaine's hand tightly, "but Harlequin's been frustrated all night, worried that you had been attacked by the runaway convict who escaped prison earlier today."

Elaine couldn't help but feel her blood run cold. Harlequin always did seem more irritable when things didn't go his way at work. Her heart was pounding heavily, her mind beginning to process and put pieces together from her exciting evening. She couldn't understand why she was silently praying that the convict in question wasn't who she already knew he was.

"Who escaped?" Her words came out softly, as if she were afraid to hear the answer, but she hoped that the tone she used could be mistaken by her friend as a purposeful whisper to not let her brother hear; even if her brother's outbursts and lectures were the last thing on her mind.

If Elizabeth noticed anything off, she didn't let it display on her face. "I'm not sure, there was only so much he would tell me, and most of the information I have was from overhearing him discussing it with Helbram when we first arrived home."

It didn't surprise Elaine at all that most of the information involving said criminal was kept from Elizabeth. Harlequin always tried to keep both of the women in his household out of the loop, and as he phrased it "away from any potentially dangerous information". Helbram was a close friend of both Harlequin and Elaine, usually being the one to offer rides to Elizabeth and Harlequin whenever they needed it. He always seemed to be around, and every so often her brother would attempt to pitch the idea of the Elaine and Helbram getting together, with the idea immediately being shot down.

"What do you know?" Elaine cursed herself, hoping her whispers weren't as desperate and interested as she thought they sounded.

Again showing no outward response, Elizabeth did another quick check around her, as if to make sure Harlequin wasn't eavesdropping, simply awaiting the moment to burst in and deliver a lecture not only about the information, but how unladylike it was to divulge in gossip.

"Well, as we were driving home, Harlequin was ranting about the carelessness of the other officers, it seemed a bit overly dramatic, but the ranting continued all the way home. I figured he was waiting for me to leave to release his true feelings, so I went into the house first and listened through the window as they were talking outside," normally, Elaine would make a witty statement calling out Elizabeth and her break in character from being an innocent obedient girl to a gossiping eavesdropper, but Elaine's mind was focused on far too many other things to interrupt the story Elizabeth was weaving, "he was yelling about how the police force were beginning to become too unobservant, seeing as somehow the man who escaped managed to get the key to his cell and use it to run loose, it being hours before any of the officers knew he was missing. Helbram then mentioned that they were lucky and said the man was in for auto theft and other petty crimes, not making him too dangerous. They didn't say his name. That was all I heard before Helbram left."

The mere mention of auto theft caused Elaine's heart to stop beating and slam into her ribcage. Everything was adding up, all of the dots connecting in her head at once. His ruined clothes, his lack of shoes, his knack for fixing cars with limited supplies, his need to get a lift to a location no one really went to when the sun went down. The man she couldn't stop thinking about was almost certainly a thief who broke out of prison. Her breathing became shallow.

It wasn't certain. There was no way the charismatic stranger she had come face to face with was a wanted criminal. He was far too handsome to be a fugitive. He couldn't be.

He just couldn't.

Elaine was unsure of how to proceed with the conversation with Elizabeth. Her logical mind was telling her to simply nod and head upstairs to her room and act like this evening of her life never happened. But her gut was screaming at her to divulge, tell her closest confidant of her exciting night, the rush of adrenaline she got from being around the stranger, the way her mouth went numb when he first said her name.

But Elaine knew better. She had already let her logical side down once today, now learning that she not only gave her name out to a stranger, but to a possible convict as well. Elizabeth was already in enough distress with Elaine being late, and she knew that her worry would only grow if she thought Elaine knew the escapee which caused her brother so much stress; not to mention that she wanted desperately to see said escapee again.

"I'm sure they'll catch him, there's only so many places a prisoner on foot can go," Elaine cursed herself, knowing that she was lying multiple times to the closest people in her life for some stranger she met mere hours ago, but she truly believed that Elizabeth already had enough to worry about for one night, "the car and me are safe, I promise I will try to be more careful until things cools down."

"I trust you Elaine, I just wouldn't expect the car for the next few days, I doubt Harlequin is willing to risk another late night."

"Oh he'll get over it by morning, besides, he isn't the type to waste gas to go back and forth to get me and you, we don't have enough money for gas as it is," Elaine laughed lightly, trying to lighten the mood a bit, and do whatever it took to get the conversation away from the wanted man. She knew, despite his initial anger, that Harlequin wasn't petty enough to waste gas, or at least his own. He would lecture her once again before she left for work, threatening to take away her car privileges if she ever came home late again, but nonetheless allowing her to take the car to work like always.

Elizabeth matched Elaine's laugh, the exhaustion from the long work day and staying up for Elaine apparent, "Of course, you should get to bed, we have work tomorrow, and we both know how cranky you can be if you don't get enough sleep." Elaine nodded in agreement, letting out another laugh, it too showing just how tired she was as well.

"Hey, at least it doesn't take a bucket of water being poured on me to wake up, like some of us here," Elaine nudged her best friend playfully, only to receive a nudge back. The two were closer than sisters, and Elaine couldn't stop her heart from breaking knowing that she had to lie to her in order to prevent her from worrying.

"That's only happened once and you know it," Elizabeth giggled, faking an accusing tone, grabbing the pillow from beside her and smacking it across Elaine's face playfully. Elaine faked a gasp of offense looking around for something she could use to counter the blow. Finding nothing of use to attack her friend, Elaine did the only thing she could think of to escape yet another hit from the feathery pillow.

She ran.

She jumped up off the couch from beside her friend and began to run childishly around the living room, closely followed by Elizabeth armed with another pillow preparing for the attack.

Just like children, the two friends ran around the room, forgetting for a moment their responsibilities and their secrets. Everything was simpler as they were running around, the rest of their broken world seemed to vanish as they tossed sacks filled with feathers at one another. It made everything, no matter what was happening around them, seem like it wasn't that bad.

"Okay, okay, I surrender, please have mercy," Elaine laughed as Elizabeth had tired her out, falling onto the couch, Elizabeth landing the final blow.

"We should probably get some sleep, we have to get to the diner nice and early tomorrow," Elizabeth yawned, the smile, although still filled with childlike joy, falling at the ends from exhaustion. Elaine nodded, sad that the moment of whimsy had ended so soon.

"You're right, G'night Elizabeth," Elaine said softly, throwing the pillow that Elizabeth had used to attack her back at the owner, allowing one last laugh between the two of them, "And I really am sorry for worrying you...and Harlequin."

Elizabeth didn't say anything, but the warm, forgiving smile that danced across her face was enough to see that there was already nothing to forgive. Elaine wanted to say something more, tell her what really happened. She promised herself she would tell Elizabeth the whole truth, just not right now. There was too much going on, and Harlequin would be watching both of them like a hawk. She reasoned that if she was even a moment late, and Elizabeth knew of her encounter, she would blame it on Elaine's mysterious stranger.

She hesitated for a moment, wondering if there was anything else she should say. Yet, she found her body sagging a bit, her mind catching up to her body finally, feeling the fatigue finally hit her in full force. So, without another word, she made her way as quietly as possible up the stairs to her tiny bedroom.

Without even bothering to change into her pajamas, Elaine threw her stained apron and purse on to the ground beside her vanity, and shoes by the edge of her bed. She flopped down on to her bed with a soft thud, wrapping herself in a blanket and quilt letting her head hit the pillow, allowing her to stare at the cracks in the ceiling that she had memorized.

She began counting the cracks, one by one, lifting her hand into the air, and using her index finger to try and trace the lines that were just out of reach.

Her mind began to wander. She shouldn't be thinking like this. She shouldn't be thinking of him.

She shouldn't be thinking of the ways his eyes shimmered a deep crimson until the light of the moon hit them turning them into a brilliant ruby. She shouldn't smile at the memory of them sharing a cigarette. She shouldn't be wishing to hear his voice call out another awful nickname. She shouldn't crave another meeting with her mysterious stranger.

There were a thousand reasons she should forget the chance encounter that caused so much worry for the people she loved. There were a million reasons to report the possible escapee to her brother and watch him go back to jail where he was said to belong.

Yet, there was a longing that caused her spine to tingle and her fingertips to go numb, a feeling that she hadn't felt in a long time. A rush of adrenaline, a fleeting moment of adventure and mystery.

She wanted to see him again. She _needed_ to see him again. Despite the many reasons. Despite everything that was stacked against him.

As her eye drooped, she remembered the feeling she had when they were together. A feeling of excitement in her dull and colorless world.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 _So, big oof. It's been a while hasn't it. I apologize for my lack of updating. It's been quite the inspirational drought during the school year. I've been so busy and stressed out, that creativity for my stories has been in short supply. I truly am sorry it took me so long to come out with another chapter of this story. I promise (hopefully) the next chapter of this story won't take as long to produce._

 _So, will our two strangers cross paths again? (Obviosuly considering this is chapter 3). I'm excited to continue this story and I hope you guys are all enjoying it! Please favorite, review, and follow if you enjoy and want to hear more! I love hearing from you all!_

 _Until next time,_

 _xoxo writingwithgrace_


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